Improvement in india-rubber horse-boots



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

DANIEL N. HURLBUT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN INDIA-RUBBER HORSE-BOOTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 52,640, dated June30, 1874; application filed November 21, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL N. HURLBUT, of Chicago, Illinois, haveinvented certain Improvements in India-Rubber Horseshoes, of

which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to an india-rubber sole to cover the whole undersurface of the hoof, constructed so as to be capable of being applied tothe hoof (over the iron shoe, if necessary, or upon the naked hoof)without the use of nails or any permanent attachment, so that the devicemay be removed or applied at pleasure without trouble, the result soughtbeing a shoe which may be applied in slippery weather to the foot of thehorse, afford ing a perfect safeguard against slipping, and which shallbe a protection at the saine time against the concussion and jar uponthe joints of the legs in traveling upon city pavements and hardroad-beds; which shall be a safeguard also against injury to the softparts of the foot by sharp gravel, Ste.; which shall also prevent theclogging or impeding caused by the collection of snow within the hoof,termed ba-lling, and which shoe may be removed and applied with greatease, without disturbing the ordinary iron shoe, if such is worn, andwit-hout the intervention of a blacksmith; and the invention consists ofan india-rubber overshoe with a sole of proper shape to conform to theoutline of the hoof as it rests upon the ground, provided with cavitiesto receive the toe and heel calks of the iron shoe, and with an inclinedband or upper, which bears across the outer upper surface of the hoof atthe toe and sides, and a heelstrap, which passes over the heel, andserves, in conjunction with the upper, to hold the shoe securely to thehoof, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specin'cation,Figure 1 represents a side view of my improved shoe applied to the footof a horse. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the shoe from toe toheel, and Fig. 3 is a bottom view of said shoe.

In said drawings, A represents the sole, made of indiarubber partiallyvulcanized, as prepared in the sheet-rubber of commerce.

This sole is made of a shape to conform to the of said sole is also madeflat, excepting the cavity a cut in the lower surface of the sole,conforming in outline to the frog of the foot. rlhis cavity renders thesole immediately below the frog, and upon which it rests, more elasticand yielding, whereby the natural condition of the foot is more nearlyapproached, and the spring of the frog in stepping allowed. This cavitya also increases the holding power of the sole against slipping upon wetpavements, as will be readily understood, and at the same time, beingshallow, and constantly in motion, springing back and forth, from thepressure of the frog, will not retain snow to form a ball. Attached tothe sole, or forming a part therewith, is the fillet or band B, formingan upper,77 which, when the shoe is applied to the foot, sets over theoutside of the hoof at the toe and sides, while a strap, C, is arrangedto sct over the heel, below the fetlock and above the hoof, aftbrding ameans of securing the sole to the hoof in such manner that it may beeasily put on and taken ofi'. This fillet B and strap C may be made ofrubber, and molded with the sole, or they may be made of leather andfastened to the sole.

Having thus described the object and nature, and the construction andoperation, of my invention, that which I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

The india-rubbersole A, covering the entire under surface of the foot,provided with the cavities a, to receive the calks of the iron shoe, andsuitable means for securing it to the hoof, substantially as specified.

DANIEL N. HURLBUT.

Witnesses:

' JOHN W. lvlUNnAv,

HErNRrcH F. BnUNs.

